Preserving art in different media

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As an avid art lover, collector, and advisor, I have first hand experience when it comes down to the effects of certain climates on artworks. Your earliest concern when it comes to preservation of your art collection will probably be centered around how and where you store your art pieces. It becomes a real challenge when your collection grows and it becomes inevitable that you are quickly running out of display and storage spaces in your primary location; your home.

Another key consideration is natural disasters which are defined by where you live. How do you deal with things such as floods, landslides, fires, and other natural and man-made disasters, which could eventually leave your art damaged? Understandably, it can be quite daunting trying to find guides that specifically provide applicable guidelines on art preservation. Art pieces are known to last for generations and this can be achieved when your art is well preserved. It is for this reason that I have compiled a few guides on how to preserve art by their differing mediums.
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STORAGE CARTS
These are perfect to use as protective gear when canvas works are in-taxi. They also serve as temporary storage for times when you run out of wall, floor, or alternative storage spaces. The trick here is to use an inbuilt demarcator to separate each work from the other in order to avoid collision which may result in scratches and dents. The inbuilt demarcators also allow for proper air circulation thereby reducing the accumulation of dust, moulds, and cobwebs. Some collectors prefer to add wheels to their carts to make it easy to transport the stored collection therein from point A to B.

OIL ON CANVAS
Weather changes may cause cracks in such paintings thus affecting their durability. As much as possible, you want to ensure you maintain humidity levels between 45-55% wherever they are displayed or stored. During the summer or hot seasons, it is imperative to use dehumidifiers to maintain the moisture level. On the flip side, humidifiers are needed during dry seasons to ensure the required water level is present in the air as needed by artworks.

TEXTILES PAPER ARTWORK
All types of paper have a high sensitivity to light. Low quality papers are more prone to damage from light which changes their chemical makeup and ultimately leads to discoloration. Paperworks left as is, are highly prone to stains and dirt from hand touches by passersby and dust. The simple hack to avoid discoloration and stains of paperworks whilst ensuring they maintain their crispness is to have them placed in glass frames. The glass frames ensure the art stays intact and go a long way to protect the paper make up internally. Furthermore, placing these glass frames at room temperature protects them from humidity.
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SCULPTURES
Sculptures are a little tricky to preserve as some of them may seemingly take up a lot more space. The general rule of thumb is to store all sculptures away or display them in locations with very minimal foot traffic to avoid accidents.
Stone sculptures are generally susceptible to environmental factors which can cause them to decay due to brittle glazes.
For glass sculptures, it is advisable to create a custom built protective yet see-through box that is sturdy on the ground and surrounding each glass work to ensure the art can still be enjoyed by viewers but still out of physical reach.
Using a soft brush to clean sculptures is the most effective way to keep them in pristine shape before storing them. When transporting sculptures from point A to B, make plans to package them in multiple layers of bubble wrap before placing them in a well-padded container to prevent breakage during taxi.

ACRYLIC PAINTINGS
Unlike sculptures, avoid using bubble wraps on acrylic paintings because it restricts the free flow of air which will have an adverse effect on your paintings. Instead, use a cotton sheet which also prevents your painting from external damage.
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T: +234-803-041-0086, +234-818-160-8844 | E: [email protected] | www.patronsmcaa.com

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PASTELS
Such pieces can be damaged by dust, dirt, or bugs. To prevent this, use a dust cover also known as backing paper or plexiglass. The dust cover gives the artwork a better look whilst serving the purpose of preserving the artwork from potential damage.

CORNER PROTECTORS
Oftentimes, we tend to pay less attention to the corners of frames which are the weakest parts of a frame. With a foam corner protector, you can be rest assured that the edges of your frames are protected from bumps or scratches whenever they are moved or in-taxi.

GETTING THE HELP OF AN ART RESTORER
When it comes down to restoring a piece of art, do not try to do this at home by yourself. It may not be in your immediate budget, but engaging professional art restorers like Patrons will be beneficial for you. Patrons will provide best in-class art restoration services to revamp, retouch, or conduct general maintenance on your art collection where necessary. Your art collection is quite valuable. You do not want to leave it to chance by engaging in DIY trials. You always want to preserve your investment to always ensure that your collection really does command the value that you say they are worth.
Exhibitions | Advisory & Consulting | Art Authentication & Valuation | Private Sales | Auctions | Collections
8 OLUSEGUN AINA STREET, PARKVIEW ESTATE, IKOYI, LAGOS.
T: +234-803-041-0086, +234-818-160-8844 | E: [email protected] | www.patronsmcaa.com

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Art Index Top 5 Monthly
This digest’s selection for Art Index Top 5 is quite the wonder. From diligent research and curation, our jury presents some of the hottest art pieces that you should have in your collection today based on strong technique, message, style, and medium.
Here are our top 5 for the week: